Cycle track a welcome move, but after due diligence

Locals stage a protest against construction of the cycle track last month. File pic/Sameer Markande

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a protest at Deer Park, near the Vihar-Powai Lake site, against an upcoming cycle track there. The party claimed there was no transparency about the project, which Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray needed to divulge, and so, the project seemed to be mired in secrecy.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), too, had raised objections about this upcoming cycling track, saying it would disturb the natural habitat of the crocodiles as well as the feature of the lakes. A number of residents and environmentalists too had raised some concerns earlier, which have been reported. Some cognisance has been taken of complaints, with the formation of a committee to look into ecological balance around the area.

We welcome efforts to make this city more cyclist-accessible. This edit space had earlier focussed on how a cycle track at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) had gone to seed in a few years after it was completed. Through the years, appropriate noises have been made about making Mumbai more cycle-friendly but projects have not taken off.

If this is genuine and good, then surely the cycle track must come up. However, real fears must be addressed by this committee which should be upfront and clear and give itself a timeline to come up with the findings. Since residents and environmentalists have presented their points of view, do look from this perspective and see if there is damage to the ecosystem if this track comes about.

Political parties opposing the project must do so with solid reasons. It is callous to stymie an initiative only for attention and eyeballs; so do so with real reason. Let us have everybody on the same page, if a cycle track here works for the city, then convince people, if it does not then, look elsewhere.